Cooper Square Hotel to become Standard under Balazs

With his deal to buy the Cooper Square Hotel set to close today, the New York Post reported that Andre Balazs will transform the hotel into the Standard East Village. Balazs will spruce up the 105 rooms, renovate the public space and redo the recently opened restaurant on the 21-story building’s ground floor, now called the Trilby.

Rumors of Balazs’ take over of the hotel first surfaced in August and were confirmed in September when he applied to renew the liquor license at the hotel. He took control of the hotel less than a year after Westport Capital Partners bought it for $70.9 million. Doug Harmon and Adam Spies of Eastdil Secured were marketing the hotel for Westport.

The Post said Balazs plans for the hotel to be a more subdued and residential version of his first Standard hotel, which overlooks the High Line in the Meatpacking District. The Cooper Square Hotel is located at 25 Cooper Square, between 5th and 6th streets. [Post]